The freshwater of ponds and streams provides a habitat for many types of insects and other invertebrates. With simple equipment, and a few safety precautions, you can dip into this aquatic world to see the great variety of small animals that live beside, on and under the surface of the water. By identifying the different creatures, you’ll be able to learn more about their lives and the way they interact with their environment and each other – their ecology. Streams and ponds sometimes become polluted, and the types of animals you find during your dipping can indicate whether your stream or pond is healthy or not. Different animal communities live in different habitats: compare the insects in a pond with those in a nearby stream. Serious ‘dippers’ can work as a team to make a survey of the species found at various places along the course of a stream. Follow the links below for practical advice on pond- and stream-dipping ... and have fun learning about the hidden underwater worlds in your neighbourhood!